Cover Story: Soldiers of Good FortuneBy Barry YeomanThey’re in the Army now: how the Bush Administration is using private military companies to wage the war on terrorism.

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What’s a River For?By Bruce BarcottFarmers, ranchers, fishermen, Native American tribes. In the fight over the Klamath River’s water, everybody loses — especially the salmon.

Where Are You, Beloved General?By Jonathan WattsA xenophobic leader, an economy in free fall, a dogma of belligerent brinksmanship. Welcome to North Korea.

The Torturers Next DoorBy Karen OlssonA thousand human-rights violators reside in the United States. Now, their victims — and an amateur detective in South Florida — are determined to bring them to justice.

In the Valley of the DictatorPhoto Essay by Jonas Bendiksen Text by Matthew BrzezinskiUzbekistan is a crucial ally in the war on terror. So why should we care what Islam Krimov does to his own people?